This invention relates to a parachute dropping kite, and more particularly relates to a kite which may be flown with one or more parachute units releasably secured to its covering and which, by a mere tug on the kite string, will release the parachute to fall to the ground.
Parachute dropping kites of various constructions are known in the art. For example, numerous devices have been described and illustrated whereby a parachute device rides up the kite string to a kite being flown hits a stop secured at a location near the kite on the kite string and is released by an appropriate mechanism cooperating with that stop, to fall to the ground. Examples of such devices are found in Shepard, Canadian Pat. No. 179,666, issued Oct. 9, 1917; Silverthorn, Canadian Pat. No. 234,288, issued Sept. 18, 1923 and Jacobi, U.S. Pat. No. 1,787,479, issued Jan. 6, 1931. Such string-carried parachute devices require relatively cumbersome and complicated carriage means to permit them to be elevated up the string of a kite in flight. The Jacobi kite requires three strings running upwards from the ground, one being the main kite string and the other two being strings to lift the parachute carriage along that string and to release a kite release mechanism associated with that carriage.
Berthene, U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,157, issued Nov. 13, 1951 describes a parachute dropping kite in which one or more parachute devices are held within an open cylindrical capsule carried by the kite. A slowly deflating balloon within the capsule, wedging the kites against the inner edges of the capsule, acts as a time release mechanism: when the balloon reaches a certain minimum size, the parachute device is dropped from the capsule. Albrecht, U.S. Pat. No. 1,735,309, issued Nov. 12, 1929 describes another type of kite carrying encapsulated parachute devices. A slidable door, lifted by means of a string running to the ground, enables the person flying the kite to open downwardly slanting capsules and permit the parachutes to drop out from them. Both of these devices, however, are of complicated construction and sufficiently cumbersome to operate and expensive to build that they are virtually impractical for the purpose for which they were designed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,899, of Zopf, issued Mar. 4, 1969 describes a kite with a detachable parachute or glider device on its upper surface. As in the Albrecht device, a second string paralling the main kite string runs from a releasable clip securing the detachable member to the main body of the kite to the ground. The detachable member is released by pulling this second string.
Fisher, U.S. Pat. No. 2,059,634, issued Nov. 3, 1936 describes and illustrates a parachute dropping kite in which the parachute is carried aloft dangling from a releasable wire spring member secured to the lower portion of the kite frame. In this device, the main kite string is used to activate a spring release mechanism. The spring member when released, enables the parachute to drop off it.
Both the Zopf and Fisher devices again require relatively intricate release mechanisms for the parachute member. The Fisher parachute dangling from the frame secured release mechanism as the kite is lifted into the air to some extent hinders the normal operation of the kite. As well, the opened spring member, once the parachute of the Fisher device is released, provides a potential hazard to anyone in the vicinity of where the kite is being used in the event of a sudden descent of the kite, protruding as it does when it has been released.
Other references of general background interest are Toth, U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,998, issued Feb. 11, 1958 and Astle, Canadian Pat. No. 391,427, issued Sept. 24, 1940.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simply constructed, economical parachute dropping kite which is at least as effective as those prior art devices hereinbefore described. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a parachute dropping kite having a release mechanism which operates in association with, and is activated through, the kite string and does not require a second string, running to the kite from the ground, for actuation. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a parachute dropping kite in which the parachute is carried aloft in close association with the kite covering to reduce its effect on the aerodynamic performance of the kite.